Oleksandr Solonko, an aerial scout and member of the Territorial Defence Forces, explained the role Ocheretine played in the battles near Avdiivka.
What role does Ocheretyne play in the battles near Avdiivka
Solonko said that after the capture of Avdiivka by the Russians, the defence continued in the fields and small settlements, where it is challenging to find advantageous positions.
Ocheretyne is a fairly profitable point that both sides need to control in this direction. If you look at the map, there is Netailove further south, which is located along the road to Pokrovsk, there is Ocheretyne, which is located along the railway road and another road that leads to Myrnograd. This is a city that is located next to Pokrovsk as one agglomeration, said the military man.
He added that Pokrovsk is also a significant regional hub, which the Russians are trying to capture.
Ocheretyne is a fairly large settlement for this area. And the key thing is that (besides the fact that it is an important point on the route towards Myrnograd and Pokrovsk) it is a height that exceeds the same Pokrovsk by 40-50 meters in some places. Both sides need to control it in order to be able to better keep the surrounding area under fire and under fire control. If the Russians go there, they have the opportunity to better control the entrances for rotation, logistics, troop movement, etc., Solonko explained.
The aerial scout also noted that the area around Ocheretyne is a height difference from a steppe landscape, "which in some places resembles what we saw in the Zaporizhzhia direction."
He clarified that the number of routes that can be used for the movement of troops, logistics, and the delivery of material and technical resources needed for defence is limited in this territory. According to Solonko, Ocheretyne is located on one of these routes.
Chasiv Yar will become a hot spot in Russia's war against Ukraine
Military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko notes that the Russian command intends to "close the issue" with Chasiv Yar by the end of the year.
Chasiv Yar will become one of the hottest spots on the front in the second half of 2024. Military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko expressed this opinion.
Currently, conditions are being formed in the direction of the city for a successful offensive of the Russian occupation forces. Such conditions include the capture of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka.
Thus, according to Kovalenko, the capture of Bohdanivka will enable the occupiers to enter the northern sector of Chasiv Yar, force the canal through Kalynivka, and cut route 0506. The capture of Ivanivske will allow them to reach Stupochky and capture the city from the south. Russian troops control the northeastern part of Ivanivske and are trying to gain a foothold in the centre.
In addition, the capture of Klishchiivka and Andriivka will enable the Russians to secure their advance along route 0504, and "the exposed southern flank can lead to very unpleasant events." However, the occupiers have not yet succeeded in these locations.
In fact, they will not be able to catalyse the attack on Chasiv Yar without capturing these villages, etc., or rather, what is left of them. More precisely, they will be able to, but the results of such catalysis will not be very good, Kovalenko emphasizes, adding that now the occupiers are trying to gain a foothold on the eastern outskirts of Chasiv Yar, while at the same time, not only artillery is operating in the city, but they are also increasing their attacks with anti-aircraft guns.
So far, Russia's resources for repeating the Avdiivka scenario are insufficient, but they can and will be increased by the second half of 2024. According to the expert, by combining numerical advantage and dominance in the air, the Russian army's command intends to close the issue with Chasiv Yar by the end of the year.
